History of Saint Anne’s Parish

The origins of St. Anne’s Parish can be traced back to as early as 1833 when the Chinese and the Indians came to settle in Batu Kawan. At that time, Penang, Malacca and Singapore, collectively known as the Straits Settlements, were all under British colonial rule. A large number of the Chinese came to toil in the tin mines, and the Indians in the rubber and tea estates. Some worked on the roads and railways. Among these people were some Catholic families. From Batu Kawan, the Chinese and the Indian Catholics moved into Matang Tinggi, Machang Bubuk (formerly known as Pagar Teras) and Bukit Mertajam (BM). In 1840 the Chinese Catholics settled at the BM foothill and worked in the farms.

To read the rest of the article and to access our e-Archive, subscribe to us for
RM150 a year.